Systems and methods for providing network access

ABSTRACT

Some embodiments are associated with receiving, by a vending machine, a request from a customer to initiate a communication session, establishing a first communication link between the vending machine and a device associated with the customer, and establishing a second communication link between the vending machine and a remote network device, such that a communication session is established between the device associated with the customer and the remote network device. Some embodiments are associated with receiving, by a vending machine, an indication of a selection of a product sold by the vending machine, receiving, from a customer, payment for the selected product, dispensing the product to the customer, the product comprising an indication of a communication session activation code, receiving, by the vending machine, an indication of the communication session activation code, and establishing a communication session between a device associated with the customer and a remote network device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. §120to, and is a continuation of, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/376,488 filedMar. 15, 2006 and titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING NETWORKACCESS”, which issues as U.S. Pat. No. 8,774,963 on Jul. 8, 2014, andwhich itself claims benefit and priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/662,139, titled “WI-FI VENDING MACHINE” andfiled on Mar. 15, 2005, the entirety of each such previous applicationbeing hereby incorporated by reference herein.

The present application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/365,962 titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING NETWORK ACCESS”filed Feb. 3, 2012.

BACKGROUND

Significant resources are often spent creating wired and Wireless AccessPoints (WAPs) to the Internet for the purpose of giving more and moreelectronic devices Internet connectivity. Notable in this endeavor isthe emergence of “Wi-Fi”, wireless broadband connection to the Internet.Companies ranging from start-ups (such as Boingo® and Cometa Networks™)to large telecommunications companies (such as Sprint™ and AT&T™) aredeveloping WAPs to the Internet called “hot spots” (or “Wi-Fi” hotspots).

A hotspot typically consists of computer hardware and software capableof (1) wirelessly communicating with a user's personal mobile device(laptop computer, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), cell phone, etc.),and (2) connecting to the Internet (or other communications network).The wireless connection between the hotspot and the personal mobiledevices within the vicinity is typically established via a wirelessrouter, such as a wireless router operating pursuant to the FastEthernet LAN transmission standard 802.3-2002® published by theInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and/or theWireless LAN transmission standard 802.11B/G-1999/2003® published by theIEEE. The connection to the Internet or other communications network isgenerally wired (e.g., via Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modem,T1).

Access to the Internet via the hotspot router generally requires a validuser account within the provider's network. Users pay subscription fees,either monthly, or as service is used. For example, unlimited access onthe Boingo® network is currently priced between twenty-one dollars andninety-five cents ($21.95) to thirty-nine dollars and ninety-five cents($39.95) per month, or one can buy a two-day (2-day) subscription forseven dollars and ninety-five cents ($7.95). T-Mobile® charges nineteendollars and ninety-five cents ($19.95) per month.

A goal of companies who provide or facilitate WAPs, or “Wi-Fi hotspots,”is to create national wireless coverage for users by patching together anetwork of local access points from various providers (cable, DSL, etc).So far, their strategy is to convince operators of hotels, coffee shops,restaurants, and bookstores to become hot spot hosts as a value add totheir customers. Brand name locations hosting hot spots include JetBlue® terminals, Starbuck's®, Tully's Coffee®, and even McDonald's®.However, a need exists for apparatus, systems, and methods that extendthe possible venues that can provide Wi-Fi service and/or that canfacilitate more easy, widespread, and/or ad-hoc access.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An understanding of embodiments described herein and many of theattendant advantages thereof may be readily obtained by reference to thefollowing detailed description when considered with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a vending machine according to someembodiments;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearanceof a vending machine according to some embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Introduction

Applicants have recognized that, in some situations, it may beadvantageous to provide a vending machine (and/or other device, such asa kiosk) configured to host wireless local area networks (e.g., viaWAPs), thus permitting customers to access the Internet and/or otherpublic communication networks through personal mobile devices(hereinafter “customer devices”). More particularly, Applicants herebydisclose apparatus, systems, and methods for facilitating the sale anddistribution of wireless access to a communications network through avending machine (and/or other device) that may also be configured todispense one or more physical products, such as snacks and drinks. Inaccordance with one or more embodiments, a vending machine may permit acustomer, through a customer device such as a Personal Computer (PC),PDA, or cellular telephone, to access a communications network (e.g.,PSTN, the Internet) after first establishing a preliminary communicationlink between the customer device and the vending machine.

According to one or more embodiments, a vending machine may beconfigured to: (i) output a message to a customer, through a vendingmachine and/or customer device, prompting the customer to utilize acommunication network; (ii) receive, from the customer, a request toinitiate a communication session, the request comprising one or more of(a) a signal indicating an acceptance of an offer, (b) a signalindicating a product selection, (c) a tendered payment, (d) a paymentidentifier, (e) a customer identifier, and/or (f) a customer deviceidentifier; (iii) establish a first communication link with a customerdevice; and/or (iv) establish a second communication link with at leastone remote device (e.g., a server computer), thereby permitting thecustomer device to send data to and/or receive data from the at leastone remote device (e.g., permitting Wi-Fi access to the Internet).

In some embodiments, additional and/or alternative steps may include:(i) outputting an access code to a customer (e.g., via receipt printer;on sticker attached to a product; via email sent to a customer device);(ii) receiving an access code from a customer (e.g., via customerdevice); (iii) verifying/validating an access code (e.g., by confirmingthat access code received matches one previously issued); (iv) uponverifying/validating an access code, establishing the secondcommunication link; (v) determining a price to charge a customer basedon one or more of: (a) a customer's status (e.g., a customer's status asa prepaid unit account holder, such as is described in Applicants'co-pending U.S. Pat. App. Serial No. US2004/041561, the customer accountdescriptions and concepts of which are hereby incorporated by referenceherein), (b) an amount of usage (e.g., ten (10) minutes of Wi-Fiaccess), (c) a product selected by the customer (e.g., Wi-Fi access isless expensive if a customer selects a higher margin snack product;Internet access is free if a customer selects a Coke® product); and/or(vi) dispensing a physical product (such as a snack, drink, music CD,DVD).

In some embodiments, the vending machine may hold a “master” Wi-Fiaccount, and customers may purchase minutes of access time utilizingthis account. Customers may tender payment to the vending machine,obtain an access code from the vending machine, and/or use that accesscode to gain access to the Wi-Fi network for a period of time throughthe vending machine.

According to some embodiments, purchase of time may be made directlythrough the customer's wireless device itself (without requiring thecustomer to interact with the vending machine's interface). Simply bybeing within a certain physical proximity of the vending machine, forexample, may allow the customer to sign-up for or access an existingaccount for minutes credited through the machine (e.g., utilizingBluetooth® technology).

Vending machines (and/or other devices) configured in accordance withthe embodiments described herein may generally benefit consumers in thatsuch machines may provide increased access to communications networks(e.g., Wi-Fi access to the Internet). Vending machines configured tohost “hotspots” in accordance with some embodiments may provide, forexample, hot spot service providers (e.g., Boingo®, Cometa™) with anopportunity to increase service, increase market penetration, and/orlower costs (and ultimately prices).

Vending machines configured in accordance with some embodiments maybenefit operators of vending machines as they provide more opportunitiesto serve customers through the ability to provide access tocommunications networks. Additionally, vending machines that provideaccess to communications networks may attract customers who otherwisemay not have purchased traditionally vended physical goods (a snack or adrink). That is, the added functionality provided through network accessmay attract customers to the machine, making it more likely that theywill purchase physical goods. Further still, vending machines configuredin accordance with some embodiments may benefit operators of vendingmachines through the ability to offer new promotions, including packagepromotions, where access to communications networks are sold along withphysical goods for a single price which is less than the sum of theindividual retail prices of each component product. Moreover, vendingmachines according to some embodiments may attract new types ofcustomers (e.g., customers who may generally wish to purchase wirelessnetwork access but not traditionally vended physical products such asfood items).

II. Terms and Definitions

Throughout the description that follows and unless otherwise specified,the following terms may include and/or encompass the example meaningsprovided in this section. These terms and illustrative example meaningsare provided to clarify the language selected to describe embodimentsboth in the specification and in the appended claims.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “controlsystem”. As used herein, the term “control system” may generally referto any combination of hardware, software, firmware, and/or microcodethat is operative to carry out and/or facilitate embodiments describedherein. For example, a control system may comprise a processorperforming instructions of a program to provide Wi-Fi access tocustomers. The control system may comprise, according to someembodiments, a single device and/or component or may comprise anypracticable number of networked devices.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “networkdevice”. As used herein, the term “network device” may generally referto any device that can communicate via a network. Examples of networkdevices include a PC, a workstation, a server, a printer, a scanner, afacsimile machine, a copier, a PDA, a storage device (e.g., a diskdrive), a hub, a router, a switch, and a modem or a wireless phone. Insome embodiments, network devices may comprise one or more networkcomponents, such as a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) device ormodule, a network processor, and/or a network communication path,connection, port, or cable. Some examples of network devices mayinclude, but are not limited to, servers or controllers, customerdevises, vending machines, input devices, output devices, and peripheraldevices.

As used herein, the terms “server” and “controller” may be usedinterchangeably and may generally refer to any device that maycommunicate with one or more vending machines, one or more third-partyservers, one or more remote controllers, one or more customer devices,one or more peripheral devices and/or other network nodes, and may becapable of relaying communications to and/or from each such device. Acontroller or sever may, for example, comprise one or more networkdevices and/or components.

As used herein, the terms “customer device” and “user device” may beused interchangeably and may generally refer to any device owned and/oroperated by, or otherwise associated with a customer, which device iscapable of accessing and/or outputting online and/or offline content.Customer devices may communicate with one or more servers orcontrollers, one or more vending machines, one or more third-partyservice provider servers, one or more user terminals, and/or othernetwork devices or nodes. In some embodiments, customer devices may, forexample, include gaming devices, PC devices, PDA devices, Point-Of-Sale(POS) terminals, point of display terminals, kiosks, telephones,cellular phones, Automated Teller Machines (ATM) devices, pagers, and/orcombinations of such devices. In some embodiments, customer devices maycommunicate with vending machines and remote devices and/or computerswirelessly, through any practicable wireless communication networks,formats and/or protocols, including but not limited to those describedherein.

As used herein, the term “vending machine” may generally refer to anysystem, apparatus, and/or module that is operable to provide and/orfacilitate the provision of goods and/or services to customers. Vendingmachines may include, but are not limited to, for example, one or morestand-alone, networked, automated, mechanical, and/or electrical devicescoupled to dispense products such as beverages and/or snacks tocustomers. In some embodiments, vending machines may comprise, becoupled to, and/or may be otherwise associated with one or more inputdevices, output devices, and/or peripheral devices (e.g., to operate inaccordance with embodiments described herein).

As used herein, the terms “product,” “good,” “item”, “merchandise,” and“service” may be used interchangeably and may generally refer toanything licensed, leased, sold, available for sale, available forlease, available for licensing, and/or offered or presented for sale,lease, or licensing including individual products, packages of products(such as mystery packages), subscriptions to products, contracts,information, services, and intangibles. Examples of goods sold atvending machines may include, but are not limited to: beverages (e.g.,cans or bottles of soda or water), snacks (e.g., candy bars), andrecordable media (e.g., pre-recorded and/or dynamically-recorded disksor tapes). Examples of services sold by vending machines include carwashes, photography services and access to digital content (e.g.,permitting the downloading of digital picture, video, and/or audio filessuch as audio “ring tunes” and/or wallpapers to a handheld device). Insome embodiments, Wi-Fi and/or other network access may comprise aproduct and/or service offered by a vending machine (e.g., in accordancewith embodiments described herein).

As used herein, the term “input device” may generally refer to a devicethat is used to receive input. An input device may communicate withand/or be part of another device (e.g. a point of sale terminal, a pointof display terminal, a customer terminal, a server, a customer device, avending machine, a controller, and/or a peripheral device). Someexamples of input devices include, but are not limited to: a bar-codescanner, a magnetic stripe reader, a computer keyboard, a point-of-saleterminal keypad, a touch-screen, a microphone, an infrared sensor, asonic ranger, a computer port, a video camera, a motion detector, adigital camera, a network card, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, aGlobal Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Radio FrequencyIDentification (RFID) receiver, a RF receiver, a thermometer, a pressuresensor, and a weight scale or mass balance.

As used herein, the term “output device” may generally refer to a devicethat is used to output information. An output device may communicatewith and/or be part of another device (e.g. a vending machine, a pointof sale terminal, a point of display terminal, a customer device, and/ora controller). Possible output devices may include, but are not limitedto: a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)screen, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) screen, a printer, an audiospeaker, an Infra-red Radiation (IR) transmitter, an RF transmitter,and/or a product hopper, dispenser, and/or data port.

As used herein, the term “peripheral device” may refer to any deviceassociated with one or more vending machines, the peripheral devicebeing operable to perform in accordance with embodiments as describedherein. For example, in one embodiment a traditional vending machine maybe retrofitted with a peripheral device that comprises a processor,memory, and/or an output device for facilitating promotions such asmystery package promotions in accordance with embodiments describedherein. A peripheral device may or may not be attached or coupled to avending machine. A peripheral device may or may not be operable todirect the associated vending machine to perform certain functions. Aperipheral device, or portions thereof, may be housed inside the casingof the associated vending machine. Further, a peripheral device may beoperable to detect one or more events at a vending machine. For example,a peripheral device may be operable to detect one or more signals outputby a processor of a vending machine. Further still, a peripheral devicemay be operable to communicate with a processor of an associated vendingmachine. According to some embodiments, a peripheral device (and/or avending machine itself) may be configured to conserve coins and/or tofacilitate intelligent dispensing of products.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with an “operator”. Asused herein, the term “operator” may generally refer to the owner of avending machine or an agent or associate thereof (e.g., a route driveror lessee of a vending machine). In some embodiments, an operator mayalso be associated with a server or controller and/or customer devicesutilized to implement embodiments described herein. Operators may alsoor alternatively be associated with the manufacture and/or distributionof one or more products or services provided via a vending machine.According to some embodiments, an operator may be associated withrestocking one or more vending machines (e.g., on a restock date and/orat a restock time).

As used herein, the term “promotion” may generally refer to a messagethat is output, regarding some product, distinct from a general offer tosell products from a vending machine at retail prices. For example, apromotion may comprise a message intended to increase machineprofitability. Typically, a promotion allows customers to purchase oneor more products under terms that are generally more favorable to thecustomer than standard retail terms (e.g., at prices less than or equalto the corresponding product's full price(s), but greater than or equalto the corresponding product's minimum price(s)). In some embodiments, apromotion may comprise an offer and/or incentive associated withproviding Wi-Fi access to customers via the vending machine and/oranother device.

As used herein, the terms “package deal”, “combination deal”, “packagepromotion”, “combination promotion”, “combination product promotion”,“load-up deal”, “value combo deal”, and “combo deal” may be usedinterchangeably and may generally refer to any offer enabling a customerto purchase at least two products. In many embodiments the at least twoproducts are sold for a single price. In many embodiments, the twoproducts are dispensed to the customer essentially simultaneously (e.g.,within seconds of each other). Typically, package offers are configuredso the price of the at least two products is less than the sum of theprices of the two products, and thus the customer saves money comparedto the sum of the individual component products' retail prices.According to some embodiments, customers may be presented with packageoffers that include and/or are associated with Wi-Fi access.

As used herein, the term “package price” may generally refer to theprice that is charged (typically in a single transaction) for the unitsof products purchased pursuant to a package offer (e.g., associated withone or more package instances). Typically, package prices reflect anet-savings to the customer when compared to the sum of the respectiveretail prices of the individual component products.

As used herein, the term “access code” may generally refer to analphanumeric code provided to a customer that may be used (e.g., by avending machine) to confirm the customer's entitlement to access acommunications network through one or more of a customer device and avending machine and/or other access device. In one embodiment, an accesscode may comprise one or more of a user name, a password, a PersonalIdentification Number (PIN), a device's serial number, a softwarelicense number, a biometric identifier, or the like.

Some embodiments herein are associated with “communication”. As usedherein, the term “communication” may refer to any information, data,and/or signal that is provided, transmitted, received, and/or otherwiseprocessed by an entity, and/or that is shared or exchanged between twoor more people, devices, and/or other entities.

As used herein, the terms “information” and “data” may be usedinterchangeably and may refer to any data, text, voice, video, image,message, bit, packet, pulse, tone, waveform, and/or other type orconfiguration of signal and/or information. Information may be orinclude information packets transmitted, for example, in accordance withthe Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) standard as defined by “InternetProtocol Version 6 (IPv6) Specification” RFC 1883, published by theInternet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Network Working Group, S.Deering et al. (December 1995). Information may, according to someembodiments, be compressed, encrypted, and/or otherwise packaged ormanipulated in accordance with any method that is or becomes known orpracticable.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “communicationsession”. As used herein, the phrase “communication session” may referto any instance and/or occurrence of a receipt, transmittal, exchange,and/or sharing of information associated with the communication betweentwo or more parties and/or entities. A communication session mayinclude, for example, an e-mail transmittal, receipt, and/or exchange,an Instant Messaging (IM) session, a voice call (e.g., over a PublicSwitched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cellular network, or VoIP), a fileupload, download, and/or exchange, a receipt and/or transmittal ofbroadcast media, and/or any combination thereof. Communication sessionsmay include continuous, periodic, intermittent, and/or any otherfrequency of communication that is or becomes known or practicable.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “communicationlink”. As used herein, the phrase “communication link” may refer to anyconnection, wire, port, device, and/or signal and/or any transmission,exchange, repeating, and/or other flow of information or data that isassociated with the establishing, maintaining, facilitation, and/orother management and/or participation in a communication session. Insome embodiments, a communication link may involve a “handshake”,multiplexing and/or de-multiplexing of signals, encryption and/ordecryption of data, data validation, data conversion, and/orimplementation of one or more compression, transmission, and/orcommunication protocols.

III. Systems and Apparatus

A. Introduction

Generally, a vending machine for use with the some embodiments maycomprise a device that is capable of (i) establishing a firstcommunication link with a customer device, (ii) establishing a secondcommunication link with at least one remote network device, (iii)providing and/or facilitating communication between the customer deviceand the at least one remote network device, (v) processing a payment,and/or (vi) dispensing a product.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 according tosome embodiments is shown. The system 100 may comprise, for example, acustomer device 102 in communication with a service provider device 104via a network 106. This communication may generally be established byand/or facilitated via a vending machine 110 (although it should beunderstood that in some embodiments, other and/or additional devices maybe utilized to establish and/or facilitate the communication, such as akiosk, Automatic Teller Machine (ATM), etc.). According to someembodiments, the customer device 102 may gain access to the network 106and/or the service provider device 104 by interfacing with the vendingmachine 110. A customer of the vending machine 110 that owns and/oroperates the customer device 102 may, for example, purchase and/orotherwise acquire (e.g., via a promotion) an access code from thevending machine 110. In some embodiments, access may be associated withthe purchase of a product from the vending machine 110. Communicationservices may be provided as part of a package deal comprising a physicalproduct (e.g., a snack or drink) and an amount and/or duration of accessto the network 106. Access may also or alternatively be provided as agift, prize, and/or promotion that may be associated with and/or basedon the customer's purchase of one or more products from the vendingmachine 110.

In some embodiments, the customer device 102 may comprise a PC, laptop,PDA, and/or wireless or cellular telephone. The customer device 102 may,for example, comprise a Bluetooth®-enabled cellular telephone. In suchembodiments, the vending machine 110 may detect and/or actively solicitthe customer device 102 with the offer to access the network 106 (e.g.,instead of and/or in addition to displaying messages via the vendingmachine 110). The network 106 may generally comprise any practicableand/or desirable type and/or configuration of network, such as theInternet. The service provider device 104 may generally comprise anytype of network device such as a server, router, and/or switch that isoperable to provide services to the customer device 102 and/or thevending machine 110. The service provider device 104 may, for example,be owned and/or operated by and/or otherwise associated with an InternetService Provider (ISP) and/or a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)provider. In the case that the customer device 102 comprises a cellulartelephone, for example, the service provider device 104 may comprise oneor more devices and/or systems operable to allow the customer (e.g., viathe customer device 102) to place a VoIP call. The customer mayinterface with the vending machine 110 specifically to purchase and/orconduct a VoIP call, for example (such as where cellular coverage islimited and/or unavailable, or where the VoIP call may be a moreeconomical calling option).

Turning now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a vending machine 210according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the vendingmachine 210 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to thevending machine 110 of FIG. 1. The vending machine 210 may comprise, forexample, a casing 212 enclosing one or more of a processor 214, acommunications device 216, an inventory and dispensing device 218, apayment processing device 220, an input device 222, an output device224, and/or a data storage device 226. According to some embodiments,the vending machine 210 may be configured to perform and/or facilitateprocesses in accordance with embodiments described herein. The vendingmachine 210 may, for example, be utilized to offer and/or provide Wi-Fiand/or other network access (such as to the network 106 and/or serviceprovider device 104, of FIG. 1).

B. Casing/Cabinetry

In some embodiments, a suitable casing 212 and/or cabinetry may beconstructed from any suitable material, including but not limited to anycombination of (1) commercial grade sixteen-gauge steel (e.g., forexterior panels and internal shelving), (2) transparent materials suchas glass or Plexiglas (e.g., for product display windows), (3) rubber(e.g., for waterproofing insulation), (4) plastic, and/or (5) aluminum.

Many commercially available casings 212 may be adapted to work inaccordance with various embodiments. For example, in snack machineembodiments, a suitable casing 212 may comprise the “129 SnackShop”manufactured by Automatic Products International, Ltd. of Saint Paul,Minn., which stands at seventy-two inches (72″/1829 mm) wide, has awidth of thirty-eight and seven eighths inches (38⅞″/988 mm), and adepth of thirty-five inches (35″/889 mm). Other suitable snack machinecasings 112 include the A La Carte® machine from Automatic Products, andthe GPL SnackVendor model #159 from Crane Merchandising Systems/CraneCo. of Stamford, Conn.

In beverage machine embodiments, casings 212 commercially available fromDixie Narco, Inc. of Williston, S.C. may be employed. Beverage machinecasings 212 may comprise a “cooler” or “glass front” style front panel,featuring a transparent front panel (e.g., glass) enabling customers tosee inventory for sale. Alternatively, beverage machine casings 212 maycomprise a “bubble front” style front panel, featuring a decorativefront panel, typically used to advertise a logo of a productmanufacturer commercially interested in the operation of the vendingmachine 210.

Other embodiments are contemplated as well, including combination snackand beverage vending machine embodiments, such as those available fromCrain Co. Further details concerning the suitability of machine casings212 and/or cabinetry are well known in the art, and need not bedescribed in further detail herein.

C. Processor/Controller

According to some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may include theprocessor 214 that may be or include any type, quantity, and/orconfiguration of processor that is or becomes known. The processor 214may comprise, for example, an Intel® IXP 2800 network processor or anIntel® XEON™ Processor coupled with an Intel® E7501 chipset. In someembodiments, the processor 214 may comprise multiple inter-connectedprocessors, microprocessors, and/or micro-engines. According to someembodiments, the processor 214 may include or be coupled to one or moreclocks or timers (not explicitly shown) and to the communication device216 through which the processor 214 may communicate, in accordance withsome embodiments, with other devices such as one or more peripheraldevices, one or more servers, and/or one or more user devices (such asthe customer device 102 of FIG. 1). The communication device 216 may,for example, comprise any type or configuration of communication port,cable, modem, and/or signal transceiver that is or becomes known orpracticable.

According to some embodiments, the communication device 216 may compriseone or more of a Wi-Fi router 216 a and a broadband modem 216 b. TheWi-Fi router 216 a may, for example, be utilized to communicate withcustomers and/or devices associated with customers to (i) detect thecustomer and/or associated devices, (ii) present an offer for networkaccess to the customer (e.g., via the customer's associated device),(iii) receive network access signals (e.g., an activation code) and/ordata fro the customer's device (e.g., facilitate networkcommunications), (iv) receive product selection and/or payment signalsfrom the customer's device, and/or (v) provide network information tothe customer's device. The broadband modem 216 b may generally beoperable to allow communications via one or more networks and/or withone or more service providers. The broadband modem 216 b may comprise,for example, a DSL, cable, and/or satellite modem operable to providecommunications (e.g., to customers) with the Internet. According to someembodiments, the Wi-Fi router 216 a may comprise a different deviceoperable to communicate with customers. Instead of the Wi-Fi router 216a, for example, the vending machine 210 and/or the communication device216 may comprise one or more communication ports (such that a customermay directly connect, e.g., via a cable or wire, to the vending machine210). Similarly, the broadband modem 216 b may alternatively comprise awireless and/or dial-up connectivity device operable to provide accessto one or more networks.

In some embodiments, the processor 214 may also or alternatively be incommunication with and/or coupled to any number of other components ofthe vending machine 210 such as the inventory and dispensing mechanism218, the payment processing mechanism 220, the input device 222, theoutput device 224, and/or the data storage device 226.

D. Inventory Storage and Dispensing Device

In some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may comprise the inventorystorage and dispensing device 218. The inventory storage and dispensingdevice 218 may, according to some embodiments, comprise any numberand/or configuration of devices and/or components that facilitate and/orare associated with the storage and/or dispensing of products orservices available via the vending machine 210. Product inventorystorage and product dispensing functions of the vending machine 210configured in accordance with a snack machine embodiment may include,for example, one or more of: (i) a drive motor, (ii) metal shelves,(iii) a product delivery system (e.g., a chute, product tray, and/orproduct tray door), (iv) dual spiral (e.g., double helix) itemdispensing rods, (v) convertible (e.g., extendable) shelves, and/or (vi)a refrigeration unit. In embodiments using the casing 212 of the “model129 SnackShop” manufactured by Automatic Products, three (3) removableshelves may be employed, together providing for thirty (30) product rowsand an inventory capacity of between one hundred and eighty-five (185)to five hundred and twenty-two (522) commonly vended snack products.

Inventory storage and distribution functions of the vending machine 210configured in accordance with a beverage machine embodiment may includeone or more conventional components, including: (i) metal and/or plasticshelving, (ii) product dispensing actuators/motors, (iii) productdelivery chutes, and/or (iv) a refrigeration unit.

In many types of beverage and snack vending machines, operators willtypically stock several units of the same product linearly arranged in acolumn, allowing individual units to be dispensed upon command. The sameproduct may be stocked in more than one column. Similarly, more than oneproduct may be stocked in a single column. In the case that one or moreservices are available via the vending machine 210, the inventorystorage and dispensing device 218 may comprise any device or componentthat is associated with the storage, transmission, encoding or decoding(e.g., including encryption and decryption), and/or other processing,routing, or electronic delivery or redemption of such services.

Further details concerning vending machine inventory storage anddispensing devices 218 are well known in the art, and need not bedescribed in further detail herein.

E. Payment Processing Device

According to some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may comprise thepayment processing device 220. The payment processing device 220 may,according to some embodiments, comprise any number and/or configurationof devices and/or components for receiving payment and/or dispensingchange, including a coin acceptor, a bill validator, a card reader(e.g., a magnetic stripe reader), and/or a change dispenser.

In some embodiments, a magnetic stripe card reader may read data on amagnetic stripe of a credit or debit card, for example, and it maycooperate with conventional POS credit card processing equipment tovalidate card-based purchases through a conventional transactionauthorization network. Suitable card-based transaction processingsystems and methods are available from USA Technologies, Inc.™ of Wayne,Pa. In some embodiments, a coin acceptor, bill validator and/or changedispenser may communicate with and/or be coupled to a currency storageapparatus (a “hopper”; not shown) and may comprise conventional devicessuch as models AE-2400, MC5000, TRC200 by Mars, Inc.™ of West Chester,Pa., or CoinCo™ model 9300-L.

Coin acceptors and/or bill validators may receive and validate currencythat is stored by the currency storage apparatus. Further, a billvalidator or coin acceptor may be capable of monitoring stored currencyand maintaining a running total of the stored currency, as is discussedwith reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,984, entitled “Coin Tube MonitorMeans”, the payment and coin-related aspects of which are incorporatedby reference herein. According to some embodiments, a change dispenseractivates the return of coinage to the customer where appropriate (e.g.,where a customer rejects or otherwise fails to accept a dynamicallypriced upsell offer). Such apparatus may feature Multidrop Bus (MDB)and/or Micromech peripheral capabilities, as are known in the art.

In another embodiment, the vending machine 210 may be configured toreceive payment authorization and/or product selection commands orsignals through a wireless device communication network (e.g., via thecommunication device 216), directly or indirectly, from a customerdevice (e.g., a cellular telephone; not shown). In such an embodiment,the payment processing device 220 may comprise a cellular transceiveroperatively connected to the processor 214 to receive, transmit, and/orprocess such signals. Systems and methods allowing for the selection ofand payment for vending machine products via cellular telephones areprovided by USA Technologies, Inc.™. Further, in such an embodiment, acustomer cellular telephone may serve as an input device 222 and/or anoutput device 224, as described elsewhere herein.

Further details concerning vending machine payment processing devices220 are well known in the art, and need not be described in furtherdetail herein.

F. Input and Output Devices

According to some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may comprise theinput device 222 and/or the output device 224. In some embodiments, theinput device 222 may be operable to receive input from (i) a customerindicating a product and/or offer selection (e.g., Wi-Fi accessselection) and/or from (ii) an operator (or agent thereof) duringstocking or maintenance of the vending machine 210. Also, the outputdevice may be configured for outputting product and/or offer information(such as Wi-Fi access information and/or promotions) to a customer oroperator.

Many combinations of input devices 222 and output devices 224 may beemployed according to various embodiments. In some embodiments, thevending machine 210 may include more than one input device 222. Forexample, the vending machine 210 may include an exterior input device222 for receiving customer input and an interior input device 222(neither shown separately) for receiving operator input. In someembodiments, the input device 222 may provide the dual functionality ofreceiving input data from both operators and customers. Likewise, avending machine may comprise more than one output device 224 (e.g., anLCD screen and several LED devices, as described herein). In someembodiments, such as those which feature touch screens (describedelsewhere herein), the functionality of both input devices 222 andoutput devices 224 may be provided by a single device.

Many input devices 222 are contemplated. Thus, an input device 222 maycomprise one or more of the following: (i) a set of alpha-numeric keysfor providing input to the vending machine, such as the ProgrammableMaster Menu® Keypad, (ii) a selector dial, (iii) a set of buttonsassociated with a respective set of item dispensers, (iv) a motionsensor, (v) a barcode reader (e.g., a 1-D or 2-D barcode reader), (vi) avoice recognition module, (vii) a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequencyreceiver/decoder, (viii) a wireless device (e.g., a cellular receiver; aradio-frequency receiver; an infrared receiver; a wireless access pointor wireless router; other wireless devices), (ix) a smart card reader,(x) a magnetic stripe reader, (xi) a biometric identification apparatus(e.g., an iris scanner, a retinal scanner, a thumbprint reader, etc.),(xii) a customer device, and/or (xiii) any other type or configurationof input device 222 that may be or become known or practicable.

In some embodiments, an input device 222 may comprise an optical reader(e.g., a 2-D bar code scanner) capable of scanning a barcode, such as abar code which is displayed on a screen or monitor of a user's cellularphone, PDA, Blackberry® business phone, Blackberry® handheld or otherhandheld device. One system employing such technology, the Cmode®service, has been developed by a partnership between Coca-Cola® Co. andNTT DoCoMo™ Inc. of Japan.

Likewise, many types of output devices 224 are contemplated. Forexample, an output device may comprise an LCD screen or device.Alternatively or additionally, the output device 224 may comprise one ormore LED displays or devices (e.g., several alphanumeric multi-color orsingle color LED displays on the shelves of a vending machine associatedproximately with each row of product inventory).

In one embodiment, an LED display screen is mounted atop the vendingmachine (via bolts or other mounting hardware) and is used tocommunicate offers and other messages (e.g., product advertisements,such as Wi-Fi access offers) to prospective customers. A suitable LEDdisplay screen for such an embodiment may be housed in an aluminum casehaving a length of approximately twenty-seven and one half inches(27.5″/698.5 mm), a height of approximately four and one quarter inches(4.25″/107.95 mm), and a depth of approximately one and three quarterinches (1.75″/44.5 mm). Such a display screen may have a display areacapable of showing about thirteen (13) alphanumeric and/or graphicalcharacters. Further, such an LED display screen may comprise a serialcomputer interface, such as an RJ45/RS232 connector, for communicatingwith the processor 214. Further still, such an LED display may becapable of outputting text and graphics in several colors (e.g., red,yellow, green, black) regarding current and upcoming promotions.

Further, in some embodiments, the output device 224 may comprise aprinter. In one embodiment, a printer may be configured to print on cardstock paper of approximately one hundredth of an inch or less (e.g.,0.01″/0.15 mm or less) in thickness, such as the EPSON EU-T400 SeriesKiosk Printer. Further, a printer may be capable of thermal lineprinting of various alphanumeric and graphical symbols in various fontsizes (e.g., ranging from nine (9) to twenty-four (24) point) on varioustypes of paper. Additionally, such a printer may communicate with theprocessor 114 via an RS232/IEEE 12834 and/or bi-directional parallelconnection. Such a printer may further comprise a data buffer of variouspracticable sizes, such as approximately four kilobytes (4 KB). In someembodiments, the printer may be operable to output Wi-Fi access codes tocustomers and/or to print stickers, labels, and/or other indications tobe attached to products vended by the vending machine 210. The outputdevice 224 may also comprise a device operable to attach and/or printindications of access codes onto one or more products of the vendingmachine 210 (e.g., as the products are loaded by an operator, while theproducts are shelved within the vending machine 210, and/or as theproducts are dispensed—such as a hopper printing and/or couplingmechanism). According to some embodiments, the output device 224 mayalso or alternatively comprise an audio module, such as an audiospeaker, that outputs information to customers audibly.

As stated, in some embodiments, a touch-sensitive screen may be employedto perform both input device 222 and output device 224 functions.Suitable, commercially available touch screens for use according tovarious embodiments are manufactured by Elo TouchSystems, Inc., ofFremont, Calif., such as Elo's AccuTouch series touch screens. Suchtouch screens may comprise: (i) a first (e.g., outer-most) hard-surfacescreen layer coated with an anti-glare finish, (ii) a second screenlayer coated with a transparent-conductive coating, and/or (iii) a thirdscreen layer comprising a glass substrate with a uniform-conductivecoating. Further, such touch screens may be configured to detect inputwithin a determined positional accuracy, such as a standard deviation oferror less than plus or minus eight hundredths of an inch (±0.08″/2 mm).The sensitivity resolution of such touch screens may be more than onehundred thousand touchpoints per square inch (100,000touchpoints/in²/15,500 touchpoints/cm²) for a thirteen inch (13″) touchscreen. For such touch screens, the touch activation force required totrigger an input signal to the processor 214 via the touch screen maytypically be around two to four ounces (2-4 ounces/57-113 g).Additionally, touch screens for use according to various embodiments maybe resistant to environmental stressors such as water, humidity,chemicals, electrostatic energy, and the like. These and otheroperational details of touch screens (e.g., drive current, signalcurrent, capacitance, open circuit resistance, and closed circuitresistance) are well known in the art and need not be described furtherherein.

In some embodiments, input and/or output functionality of the vendingmachine 210 may be facilitated through a wireless device configured tosend data to, and/or receive data from, a customer device (e.g., thecustomer device 102 of FIG. 1), such as a laptop computer or a cellulartelephone. In some embodiments, such a wireless device may comprise asensor that detects signals from a customer device. Such signals mayinclude but are not limited to radio frequency signals and/or InfraredRadiation (IR) signals. Thus, in one or more embodiments, a wirelessinput device 222 may comprise a WAP or router configured to operate inaccordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard, including the 802.11b and802.11g standards, which transmit at 2.4 GHz, or the 802.11a standard,which transmits at 5 GHz. Such a wireless input device 222 may, in someembodiments, have the capability to “frequency hop” between radiofrequencies so as to reduce interference and/or increase security.Encryption techniques may also or alternatively be employed to increasethe security of transmissions. Suitable WAPs are available from Belkin™Corporation of Compton, Calif. and Cisco™ Systems, Inc. of San Jose,Calif. The wireless input device 222 may, in some embodiments, be usedto establish a communication link (such as a first communication linkwith a customer device) as described herein.

G. Data Storage/Memory

The data storage device 226 may include any appropriate combination ofmagnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, forexample, additional processors, communication ports, RAM, Read-OnlyMemory (ROM), a compact disc and/or a hard disk. The processor 214 andthe storage device 126 may each be, for example: (i) located entirelywithin a single computer or other computing device; or (ii) connected toeach other by a remote communication medium, such as a serial portcable, a Local Area Network (LAN), a telephone line, RF transceiver, afiber optic connection and/or the like. In some embodiments for example,the vending machine 210 may comprise one or more computers (orprocessors 214) that are connected to a remote server computer (e.g.,via the communication device 216) operative to maintain databases, wherethe data storage device 226 is comprised of the combination of theremote server computer and the associated databases.

The data storage device 226 may generally store one or more programs 228for controlling the processor 214. The processor 214 may performinstructions of the program 228, for example, and thereby operate inaccordance with some embodiments, and particularly in accordance withthe methods described in detail herein. According to some embodiments,the program 228 may comprise any number or type of programs that are orbecomes known or practicable. In some embodiments, the program 228 maybe developed using an object oriented programming language that allowsthe modeling of complex systems with modular objects to createabstractions that are representative of real world, physical objects andtheir interrelationships. However, it would be understood by one ofordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can beimplemented in many different ways using a wide range of programmingtechniques as well as general purpose hardware systems or dedicatedcontrollers.

The program 228 may be stored in a compressed, un-compiled and/orencrypted format. The program 228 furthermore may include programelements that may be generally useful, such as an operating system, adatabase management system and/or device drivers for allowing theprocessor 214 to interface with computer peripheral devices and/or thevarious components of the vending machine 210. Appropriate generalpurpose program elements are known to those skilled in the art, and neednot be described in detail herein.

Further, the program 228 may be operative to execute a number ofinvention-specific objects, modules and/or subroutines which may include(but are not limited to) one or more subroutines to determine whether apromotion should be output; one or more subroutines to determine apromotion type; one or more subroutines to populate a promotion type(such as a mystery promotion), thereby constructing a promotioninstance; one or more subroutines to select a constructed promotioninstance from a plurality of hypothetical promotion instances; one ormore subroutines to determine an expected value of a promotion beingconsidered for output; one or more subroutines to determine how and/orwhen products should be dispensed from the vending machine 210; one ormore subroutines to determine access codes associated with Wi-Fi access;and/or one or more subroutines to provide and/or facilitate Wi-Fiaccess. Examples of some of these subroutines and their operation aredescribed in detail with respect to the processes described elsewhereherein.

According to some embodiments, the instructions of the program 228 maybe read into a main memory (not explicitly shown) of the processor 214from another computer-readable medium (such as the data storage device226), like from a ROM to a RAM. Execution of sequences of theinstructions in the program 228 may cause the processor 214 to performthe process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments,hard-wired circuitry or integrated circuits may be used in place of, orin combination with, software instructions for implementation of theprocesses described herein. Thus, some embodiments are not limited toany specific combination of hardware, firmware, and/or software.

In addition to the program 228, the data storage device 226 may also beoperative to store one or more databases, files, and/or tables,containing information such as (i) product inventory data 230, (ii)dispensing data 232, (iii) coin inventory data 234, (iv) transactionhistory data 236, (v) promotion history data 238, (vi) availablepromotions data 240, (vii) rules data 242, and/or (viii) customer data244. Any number of other arrangements may be employed besides thosesuggested by the tables shown. For example, even though eight separatedata tables, stores, files, and/or databases are illustrated,embodiments may be practiced effectively using fewer or morefunctionally equivalent databases or similar structures. These databasesand/or other databases (not shown) may also or alternatively storeinformation associated with Wi-Fi access. Transmission logs, availableservice providers and/or networks, identified customer devices, networkstatistics (e.g., usage, bandwidth, performance), and/or other metricsmay, for example, be stored to facilitate the providing of Wi-Fi accessvia the vending machine 210.

Further, despite the depiction of the data as tables, an object-basedmodel could be used to store and manipulate the data types and likewise,object methods or behaviors can be used to implement the processesdescribed herein.

H. Vending Machine Retrofitting

In some embodiments, one or more of the processor 214, the input device222, the output device 224, and the data storage device 226 may beincluded, wholly or partially, in a separate device (e.g., separate fromand/or external to the casing 212; not shown), such as the e-Port™ byUSA Technologies Inc., that may be in communication with the vendingmachine 210. The separate devices may also or alternatively be incommunication with a network such as the Internet (e.g., via thecommunication device 216).

The e-Port™ is a credit and smart card-accepting unit that controlsaccess to office and MDB vending equipment, and serves as a point ofpurchase credit card transaction device. The e-Port™ includes an LCDthat allows for the display of color graphics, and a touch sensitiveinput device (touch screen) that allows users to input data to thedevice. The display may be used to prompt users interactively with,e.g., offers and information about their transaction status.

The separate device may alternatively be a programmed computer runningappropriate software for performing various functions described herein.The separate device may be operable to receive input from customers,receive payment from customers, exchange information with a remotelylocated server (e.g., an ISP server, a VoIP service provider's server)and/or display messages to customers (e.g., Wi-Fi access promotions).The separate device may be operable to instruct the vending machine thatappropriate payment has been received (e.g., via a credit card read bythe separate device), that a particular product or products should bedispensed by the vending machine, and/or how and/or when those productsshould be dispensed (e.g., to avoid product collisions and/or othercomplications). Further, a separate device may be operable to instructthe vending machine to execute Wi-Fi access promotions (package orsingle product Wi-Fi access promotions), price changes, or the like.

Thus, a separate device may be operatively connected to a vendingmachine 210 to perform various processes and steps described hereinincluding the establishment of communication links to provide Wi-Fiaccess, such as the first and second communication links describedherein. In this manner, conventional vending machines may be retrofittedwith such separate devices so as to perform the processes describedherein.

I. Other Separate Devices

It should be noted that, in some embodiments, some or all of thefunctions and method steps described herein may be performed partiallyor entirely by one or more separate devices (not explicitly shown),which are not necessarily retrofitted to a vending machine 210. Separatedevices for use with such an embodiment include, but are not limited to,kiosks and customer devices (PDA devices, laptop computers, and cellulartelephones). In some embodiments featuring separate devices, suchdevices may be capable of communicating, directly (e.g., via Bluetooth®connectivity) or indirectly (e.g., through a web server or IVRU), to avending machine control system in order to facilitate the inventivefunctionality described herein. In some embodiments featuring separatedevices, such separate devices are capable of communicating with aremote computer.

J. Network Embodiments

Network environments may include a remotely located device or computer(e.g., a server, mainframe, or other device) that is in communication,via a communications network, with one or more vending machines 210and/or customer devices. Such a configuration may facilitate a secondcommunication link as described herein.

The remote device or computer may communicate with the vending machines210 and/or customer devices, and the vending machines 210 maycommunicate with each other, directly or indirectly, via a wide varietyof wired and/or wireless means, mediums, protocols and communicationsstandards. Some, but not all, possible communication links and networksthat may comprise the network or be otherwise part of the system includebut are not limited to: PSTN links, satellite links, cellular links,optical links, infrared links, radio frequency links, and/or Cable TVlinks. Various networking configurations, standards and protocols may beemployed, including but not limited to: IP addressing via the Internet,a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN, a wide area network (WAN),Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), Token Ring, SAP, ATP, Bluetooth, TCP/IP and/orvia any appropriate combination thereof. Communication may be encryptedto ensure privacy and prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways wellknown in the art.

Access to one or more communications networks described herein may begoverned by a network service account maintained with a commercialservice provider, bulletin board system or the like. Example of serviceproviders include but are not limited to ISPs and VoIP serviceproviders. Accounts and/or corresponding network service may be accessedvia dial-up, cable, DSL, T1, T3, cellular or other methods. Thus, in oneor more embodiments, a vending machine 210 and/or operator thereofmaintains a network service account with a service provider so thatcustomers of a vending machine may access a communications network via afirst communication link (between a vending machine and a customerdevice) and a second communication link (between a vending machine and aremote device or computer, such as a service provider's server; betweena customer device and a remote device or computer). All or a portion ofthe costs of maintaining such a network service account may be passed onto the customer of the vending machine, such as by (1) raising theprices of physical goods vended from the vending machine, or (2)charging a fee (independent of the purchase of physical goods from thevending machine). A vending machine and/or operator associated therewithmay charge “upfront” fees (e.g., six dollars ($6) for one (1) hour ofWi-Fi Internet access; twenty dollars ($20) per month for unlimitedWi-Fi Internet access); or fees may be levied ex post facto, based onthe customer's usage (e.g., a “Pay-as-you-go” account), where fees arededucted from a previously identified financial account, such as acredit/debit card account. Thus, a vending machine 210 and/or operatorassociated therewith may establish “sub accounts”, which entitlecustomers to use the network service account that the vending machine210 and/or operator maintain with a service provider. In otherembodiments, a vending machine 210 and/or operator associated therewithmay not charge customers for access to its network service account, asApplicants have recognized that the cost of maintaining such a networkservice account with a service provider and allowing vending machinecustomers to freely access such an account may be sufficiently offset bya resulting increase in sales volume for traditionally vended physicalgoods, such as snacks and drinks.

Vending machines 210 may comprise computers, such as those based on theIntel® Pentium® or Centrino™ processor, that are adapted to communicatewith the remote device or computer. Any number and type of machines maybe in communication with the remote device or computer.

Those skilled in the art will understand that vending machines 210,devices and/or computers in communication with each other need not becontinually transmitting to each other. On the contrary, such vendingmachines, devices and/or computers need only transmit to each other asnecessary, and may actually refrain from exchanging data most of thetime. For example, a vending machine in communication with anothermachine via the Internet may not transmit data to the other machine forweeks at a time.

In some embodiments, the remote device or computer may be accessible,directly or indirectly, via a separate device (such as a customerdevice) by a customer or operator. Accordingly, a customer or operatormay use a device to communicate with the remote computer. A separatedevice may receive from the remote computer messages described herein asbeing output by the vending machine 210 (e.g., access codes), and/or maytransmit to the remote computer input described herein as being providedto the vending machine 210 (e.g., access codes). Thus, various datadescribed herein as received through an input device of a vendingmachine 210 may be received by the vending machine 210 from a separatedevice (e.g., through a Bluetooth® connection) or from a remote computer(which may relay data first received from a customer device such as apersonal computer). Similarly, various data described herein as receivedthrough an input device 222 of a vending machine 210 may be receivedthrough a Web browser communicating with a remote server, which in turncommunicates with the vending machine 210.

K. External Appearance

Referring to FIG. 3, a diagram illustrating an example of the externalappearance of a vending machine 310 according to some embodiments isshown. In some embodiments, the exemplary vending machine 310 may besimilar in configuration and/or functionality to the vending machines110, 210 described in conjunction with any of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2. Theexemplary vending machine 310 may comprise, for example, (i) a cabinet312, (ii) an inventory dispensing mechanism 318 a-b (comprising aproduct storage mechanism 318 a and/or a product hopper 318 b), (iii) apayment processing mechanism 320, (iii) an output device 324 (e.g., foroutputting text and/or graphical information about promotions such asWi-Fi access promotions to a customer), and (iv) a product displaywindow 346 behind which are visible the products 348 available for salefrom the vending machine 310 and the product storage mechanism 318 athat holds the products within the vending machine 310. According tosome embodiments, the components 312, 318, 320, 324, 346 of the vendingmachine 310 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to thesimilarly named and/or numbered components described in conjunction withFIG. 2 herein.

The casing 312 may, fore example, comprise any type or configuration ofcabinetry or enclosure to at least partially house components of thevending machine 310. As described elsewhere herein, for example, thecasing 312 may be constructed of steel, aluminum, plastic, rubber, othermetals or composite materials, and/or any combinations thereof. In someembodiments, the casing 312 may be configured for the sale of variousproducts or services such as a typical and/or modified version of atypical snack, beverage, dessert, meal, non-edible object, media, and/orany other vending machine 310. According to some embodiments, theinventory dispensing mechanism 318 a-b may comprise various componentsuch as the product storage mechanism 318 a and/or the product hopper318 b). The product storage mechanism 318 a may, for example, comprise anumber of latches, levers, paddles, doors, spirals, and/or other productretention, detention, and/or dispensing mechanisms, as are known in theart.

According to some embodiments, a product selected and/or purchased by acustomer may be released by the product storage mechanism 318 a so thatit falls into the product hopper 318 b. The product hopper 318 b may,according to some embodiments, comprise one or more doors, holes, and/orother means via which a customer may retrieve a dispensed product. Theproduct hopper 318 b may also or alternatively comprise one or morecomponents to facilitate prevention of unauthorized product removal(e.g., from someone reaching up into the vending machine 310 via theproduct hopper 318 b) and/or to facilitate the reduction of impactforces experienced by products dropping from the product storagemechanism 318 b above.

In some embodiments, the payment processing mechanism 320 may compriseany practicable type of payment receiving, transmitting, and/orprocessing device that is or becomes known (such as those describedelsewhere herein). The payment processing mechanism 320 may, forexample, comprise a currency validator and/or input slot, such as shownin FIG. 3. According to some embodiments, the output device 324 maydisplay various information associated with Wi-Fi access promotionsand/or product or service sales to a customer. As shown in FIG. 3, forexample, the output device 324 may comprise a display screen (and/ortouch screen) that advertises the availability of Wi-Fi access via thevending machine 310. The particular offer shown in FIG. 3, for example,allows a customer to pay one dollar ($1) to receive a snack and five (5)minutes of Wi-Fi Internet access. In accordance with some embodiments,the snack and/or other product “packaged” with the network access maycomprise a “mystery” product selected by the vending machine 310, suchas to manage inventory and/or sales. Various mystery and mystery packageembodiments are described in Applicant's co-pending U.S. applicationSer. No. 11/282,525, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VENDINGPROMOTIONS” and filed on Nov. 18, 2005, the mystery product and mysterypackage concepts of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

IV. Processes

One benefit of some embodiments is an increase in vending machineprofits (e.g., per fill period). Applicants have recognized, forexample, that by providing Wi-Fi access via a vending machine, theoverall profitability of a vending machine can be increased (e.g., bydirect profits from Wi-Fi access charges and/or via increased ancillarysales of other products from the vending machine).

According to some embodiments, a general process designed to increasethe profitability of a vending machine within a given fill period and/orprovide Wi-Fi access is stored in the memory of a vending machine and isexecuted by the control system (e.g., the processor, RAM, ROM, and/orsoftware). The control system may be the control system of a vendingmachine 110, 210, 310, the control system of a peripheral device, thecontrol system of a controller, the control system of a peripheralcontroller, and/or a control system of a combination of any or all ofthese devices. Generally, from the control system's perspective, thegeneral process may include the three basic steps of (i) receiving, by avending machine, a request from a customer to initiate a communicationsession; (ii) establishing a first communication link between thevending machine and a device associated with the customer; and (iii)establishing a second communication link between the vending machine anda remote network device, such that a communication session isestablished between the device associated with the customer and theremote network device. The process may further comprise (a) receivingpayment from the customer, (b) determining a price to charge thecustomer for the establishing of the communication session between thedevice associated with the customer and the remote network device, (c)receiving an indication, from the customer, of a selection of a productsold by the vending machine, and/or (d) dispensing the selected product.

Turning to FIG. 4, for example, a flow diagram of a method 400 accordingto some embodiments is shown. The method 400 may comprise, for example,a method for providing Wi-Fi access to customers. In some embodiments,the method 400 (or portions thereof), and all other processes describedherein unless expressly specified otherwise, may be performed, forexample, by a vending machine 110, 210, 310, a peripheral device, acontroller, a peripheral device controller, a user device, anothercomputing device, and/or any combination thereof. Additionally, whilesome of the steps of a process may be performed by a first device, othersteps may be performed by another device and/or a combination ofdevices. Further, the method 400, and all other processes describedherein unless expressly specified otherwise, may include steps inaddition to those expressly depicted in the figures or described in thespecification without departing from the spirit and scope of someembodiments. Similarly, the steps of the method 400 and any otherprocess described herein, unless expressly specified otherwise, may beperformed in an order other than depicted in the figures or described inthe specification, as is practicable and/or appropriate.

In some embodiments, the method 400 may begin at 402, by receiving, by avending machine, a request from a customer to initiate a communicationsession. In response to an advertisement and/or offering of the vendingmachine, for example, the customer may indicate a desire to obtain Wi-Fiaccess via the vending machine. The customer may provide the indicationvia any practicable means. The customer may make a selection via a menuand/or button provided by the vending machine, for example, and/or thecustomer may utilize en electronic device (e.g., the customer device 102of FIG. 1) to provide the indication. The request may take several formsand/or be indicated through one or more customer-initiated actions,including but not limited to: (i) a signal indicating an acceptance ofan offer; (ii) a signal indicating a product selection (e.g., wherenetwork access is marketed as a premium/bonus product or as part of apackage of products); (iii) a signal indicating that a payment has beentendered and/or validated (e.g., a bill validator has detected andapproved a tendered bill; a remote computer has instructed a vendingmachine that a presented credit card account number has been validated);(iv) a signal indicating a particular payment identifier (e.g., acustomer's prepaid unit account number); (v) a signal indicating acustomer identifier (e.g., a customer's account number); (vi) a signalindicating a customer device identifier (e.g., a cell phone number asdetermined through Automatic Number Identification (ANI) technology; acomputer's serial number or a software license number).

In some embodiments, the indication may be received via an electroniccustomer device (and/or directly from the customer) in response to anoffer that is actively sent to the customer's device. ABluetooth®-enabled vending machine may detect the presence of aBluetooth®-enabled customer device, for example, and send an offerand/or advertisement for Wi-Fi access to the customer via the customer'sdevice. According to some embodiments, the customer may respond to theoffer and/or indicate an acceptance of the offer via the customer'sdevice. In some embodiments, the indication of the request may alsoprovide indications of information associated with the offer, request,and/or requested access. The request may indicate, for example, one ormore parameters associated with the access, such as a requestedduration, speed, bandwidth, format (e.g., protocol), and/or othercharacteristic of the Wi-Fi access.

According to some embodiments, the method 400 may continue byestablishing a first communication link between the vending machine anda device associated with the customer, at 404. In one embodiment, avending machine establishes the first communication link by wirelesslycommunicating with a customer device, through any wirelesscommunications protocol, method, standard or format, as describedherein. For example, in one embodiment, a vending machine may wirelesslycommunicate with a customer's laptop computer through a wireless 802.11baccess point (e.g., incorporated into and/or associated with the vendingmachine), as described herein. In some embodiments, a vending machinemay wirelessly communicate with a customer's cellular telephone by usingthe Bluetooth® wireless protocol, as is known in the art. According tosome embodiments, the first communication link may already have beenestablished at 402. In the case that communication of the request and/ora communication of a Wi-Fi access offer are conducted wirelessly betweenthe vending machine and a customer device, for example, the firstcommunication link may be established at 404, via and/or in conjunctionwith the communications conducted at 402. In one or more embodiments, avending machine may communicate with a customer device through a wiredconnection, such as through a serial data cable, USB interface, etc. Thecustomer may be prompted and/or directed to connect a wire and/or cableto a specific port on the vending machine, for example.

In some embodiments, the customer may be further and/or otherwisedirected to utilize the communication network. The vending machine, acustomer device, and/or a remote device or computer may output a messageto a customer, for example, prompting the customer to utilize acommunication network, such as the Internet, a PSTN, etc. In oneembodiment, the customer is prompted through static (e.g., painted)signage on the vending machine. For example, a painted sign may read:“10 minutes of free Internet access with the purchase of any Coca-Cola®product.”

Alternatively, a vending machine, a customer device, and/or remotedevice or computer may output a message to a customer through an outputdevice such as a touch screen, an LCD screen, or an audio speaker. Inone or more embodiments, a vending machine and/or remote device orcomputer may output a message to a customer device, for output to thecustomer through an output device of the customer device (e.g., acellular phone's LCD screen).

In some embodiments, a determination of whether the output of such aprompt is appropriate, necessary, and/or desirable for some businesspurpose, may be made. For example, a database of stored rules may guidea processor of a vending machine or a remote device or computer tooutput such a prompt only if certain conditions are satisfied. Suchconditions include but are not limited to (i) time of day conditions,(ii) inventory conditions, (iii) sales conditions, (iv) customeridentifier or customer status conditions, (v) customer proximityconditions, and/or (vi) other conditions. For example, in an embodiment,a condition may provide that network access should only be marketedthrough prompts during certain times of day, such as after 6:00 PM, whenvending machines sales are typically slow, and/or when network accessprices are lower (e.g., if telephonic communication rates are lower atnight).

In another embodiment, if current inventory of one or more products inone or more vending machines is greater or less than a certainthreshold, a prompt may be output. Such an inventory condition mayfunction to encourage customers to visit a vending machine andpotentially purchase physical (e.g., food) products when inventory is inabundant supply. Alternatively or additionally, a condition may providethat network access should be marketed through prompts only when salesconditions indicate that a certain threshold sales volume is lacking orhas been exceeded.

In another embodiment, the vending machine may output a message to onlya certain class or type of customers, such as customers who havepreviously established a prepaid user account, as described withreference to Applicants' co-pending U.S. Patent Publication No.US2004/041561 (the user account concepts and descriptions of which arehereby incorporated by reference herein), or customers who havepreviously registered as members, as described with reference toApplicants' co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.60/583,653 (the member registration concepts and descriptions of whichare hereby incorporated by reference herein). For example, a customermay enter a customer identifier at a vending machine through the vendingmachine's touch screen, and the vending machine may determine that thecustomer has previously established an account or membership, and outputa prompt for Wi-Fi access and/or service accordingly.

In another embodiment, a vending machine and/or remote device orcomputer may output a message to a customer device only if it isdetermined that a customer (or a customer device) is within a certaingeographic area of one or more vending machines. For example, a computermay determine, through cellular triangulation and/or other techniques,that a customer and/or the customer's cell phone, is within X miles of avending machine, and may transmit a text message to the cell phone,prompting the customer with a network access offer.

In some embodiments, the method 400 may continue at 406, by establishinga second communication link between the vending machine and a remotenetwork device, such that a communication session is established betweenthe device associated with the customer and the remote network device.In some embodiments, payment and/or consideration may be received fromthe customer prior to establishing the second communications link at406. The customer may be required to provide payment electronically(e.g., via the customer's device), by inserting cash and/or coin intothe vending machine, by swiping a credit and/or debit card, and/or beany other practicable means. In some embodiments, as described herein,the payment received from the customer may also be associated withanother product and/or service provided by the vending machine. Thecustomer may pay for a package that includes the Wi-Fi access andanother product (such as a snack or drink), for example, or may pay onlyfor the other product and may receive the Wi-Fi access as a bonus, gift,and/or prize.

According to some embodiments, a vending machine and/or remote device orcomputer may establish the second communication link with the remotenetwork device such that the customer device may be able to send data toand/or receive data from the remote network device. While this maygenerally comprise utilizing the vending machine as a router, switch,hub, and/or intermediate facilitation device between the customer deviceand the remote network device, it should be appreciated that the vendingmachine may also or alternatively cause the second communication link tobe initiated between the customer device and the remote network devicedirectly (such as be sharing connection information and/or addresseswith the devices).

In some embodiments for example, the second communication link comprisesan indirect communication link between a customer device and a remotedevice or computer, where a vending machine communicates with a customerdevice (e.g., through the first communication link) and alsocommunicates with the remote device or computer, thereby allowing thecustomer device to communicate indirectly with the remote device orcomputer (i.e., through the vending machine). For example, in oneembodiment, a customer establishes a first communication link between acustomer device and a vending machine through the vending machine's WAP.The vending machine, in turn, permits the customer device to access theInternet.

Alternatively, a first communication link need not be continued and/ormaintained while a second communication link is continued or maintained.For example, in one embodiment, a customer may transact with a vendingmachine through a customer device (e.g., through a first communicationlink) to purchase network access (e.g., by purchasing an access code).Then, the customer (and/or the vending machine) may terminate the firstcommunication link between the vending machine and the customer device,and may establish a second communication link between the customerdevice and a remote device or computer so that the customer may access acommunications network, as agreed. Thus, in one embodiment, a secondcommunication link comprises a direct link between a customer device anda remote computer or device.

It should be noted that the terms “first communication link” and “secondcommunication link” should not imply an order or sequence forestablishing such communication links. That is, in one embodiment, asecond communication link (between a vending machine and a remotenetwork device or between a customer device and a remote computer) maybe established before a first communication link (between a customerdevice and a vending machine) is established. In another embodiment, afirst communication link is established prior to a second communicationlink.

In one embodiment, while a second communication link is enabled ormaintained, data is output to a customer, through a vending machine or acustomer device, informing the customer about the customer's usage ofthe communication network. For example, a customer device may output amessage indicating “10 minutes of surf time remaining” or “9 unitsremaining.” Such a message may be output visually (e.g., through an LCDscreen) or audibly (e.g., through a speaker). Further, a customeraccount or database record may be updated on a periodic or substantiallycontinuous basis to reflect usage and/or time elapsed since theestablishment of a second communication link.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a flowchart of a method 500 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the method 500 may be relatedto the method 400 of FIG. 4. The method 500 may, for example, compriseprocesses that are a continuation and/or are supplemental to those ofthe method 400 of FIG. 4.

According to some embodiments, the method 500 may begin at 502 byreceiving, by a vending machine, an indication of a selection of aproduct sold by the vending machine. The indication may generally bereceived in any practicable manner, such as described in conjunctionwith the receiving of the communication session request indication at402 of the method 400 of FIG. 4. A customer may, for example, useconventional product selection means and/or techniques to indicate adesire to purchase one or more products from the vending machine. Insome embodiments, the customer may indicate a desire to purchase apackage of products, as described herein. According to some embodiments,the selection of the product may be associated with Wi-Fi access. Thecustomer may select one or more products, for example, that are packagedwith, come with, and/or provide the possibility of winning Wi-Fi access.

In some embodiments, the method 500 may continue by receiving, from acustomer, payment for the selected product, at 504. The customer mayprovide cash, coin, electronic debit, credit card, and/or any otherpracticable payment and/or payment authorization. According to someembodiments, the customer may select (e.g., at 502) and purchase (e.g.,at 504) a vended product in a conventional manner. In some embodiments,the amount and/or type of payment may be determined and/or processed.Payment may be processed by a vending machine and/or by a remote deviceor computer, for example, using any conventional payment processingapparatus or method, including bill validators and associated methods,credit card processing apparatus and associated methods, and the like,including but not limited to those described herein.

Alternatively or additionally, as vending machines configured inaccordance with some embodiments function as Internet nodes, any paymentmethod available on the web (Pay-Pal™, electronic wallets, Microsoft™passport, etc.) may be accepted by a vending machine as a viable paymentoption. Thus, according to some embodiments, a vending machine mayreceive a product selection and a payment identifier from a customer,and use the presented payment identifier to obtain authorization, overthe Internet, from a remote computer.

At 506, the method 500 may continue by dispensing the product to thecustomer. In some embodiments, the product may comprise an indication ofa communication session activation code. The vending machine may beinstructed, for example, to dispense a physical product (e.g., theproduct indicated as selected at 502), such as a food or beverage item.In one embodiment, where network access is bundled as a component in apackage that also includes a physical food item, a customer may bepermitted to access a communication network and select a physical fooditem, which is dispensed from the machine so that the customer may enjoythe food item while accessing the network. For example, a customer mayenjoy a Coca-Cola® soda while accessing the Internet to check e-mail, orwhile accessing a VoIP service to make substantially discounted longdistance phone calls. According to some embodiments, the productdispensed may comprise an indication of an activation code that thecustomer may utilize to obtain Wi-Fi access via the vending machine. Anaccess code may be printed on and/or otherwise indicated by the productand/or product packaging, for example. In some embodiments, only someproduct in the vending machine may indicate such access codes. Customersmay be allowed and/or given an incentive to pick Wi-Fi associatedproducts, for example, or random products stored in the machine maycomprise such indications. In the latter example, the customer mayreceive the access code as a prize, bonus, and/or gift. The indicationsmay generally be hidden from the customer in such embodiments (e.g., topreserve surprise and/or mystery) or may be easily viewable, such that acustomer may be likely to purchase more products to cause the dispensingof a product that is associated with Wi-Fi access (e.g., that is locatedbehind other products with the vending machine).

It should be noted that the access code may be otherwise provided to thecustomer. In the case that the customer purchases and/or is providedwith Wi-Fi access, for example, the vending machine may display theaccess code to the customer, print an indication of the code for thecustomer, and/or send the code to the customer (e.g., via the customer'sdevice and/or via the first communication link).

In some embodiments, the access code may be determined by the vendingmachine and/or a peripheral device. In one or more embodiments forexample, a vending machine, customer device and/or remote device orcomputer may determine an access code. In such embodiments, an accesscode may be subsequently required by the system in order to provideWi-Fi access (e.g., in order to establish the second communicationslink, as described herein). In one or more embodiments, access codes maybe substantially unique alphanumeric codes. Access codes may bedetermined in one or more ways. For example, an access code may begenerated based on an algorithm which creates a string of digits thatmay be verified through a checksum, as is known in the art. In anotherembodiment, an access code may be selected from a list of sequentialnumeric codes or otherwise selected from a database of previouslyestablished codes.

It should be noted that in one or more embodiments access codes might besuggested or provided by a customer. For example, a customer may providea credit or debit card number, a social security number, a biometricidentifier, a vending machine account or membership identifier, or thelike. It should be noted that in some embodiments, access codes mightnot be necessary and/or preferred. For example, in one or moreembodiments, a customer may establish a first communication link betweena vending machine and the customer device, and the customer may proceedto request and/or pay for network service through the customer device.In such an embodiment, a vending machine or computer associatedtherewith may restrict access to a communications network to customerswho have paid for such access via a first communications link.

In embodiments where an access code is required and/or desirable, themethod 500 may continue by receiving an indication of the communicationsession activation code, at 508. Upon receiving the code (e.g., via thevending machine, e-mail, and/or as indicated by a dispensed product),for example, a customer may enter the code into the vending machine toinitiate and/or redeem Wi-Fi access. In some embodiments, the customermay provide and/or indicate the code at a later date and/or time (suchas by returning to the vending machine, and/or by interfacing withanother vending machine associated with the first vending machine). Thecode may be received directly (e.g., through a keypad) or indirectly(e.g., through a customer device). The received access code may betemporarily stored in RAM pending an evaluation, verification, and/orauthorization.

According to some embodiments, the access code may be validated. Thevending machine and/or remote device or computer may attempt, forexample, to validate the access code received from the customer at 508.In one embodiment, the vending machine and/or remote device or computerattempts to validate the access code by comparing the one received tothe one issued (and temporarily stored in RAM). Should the presentedaccess code match the issued access code, the process may continue,otherwise Wi-Fi access may be denied. In one embodiment, the vendingmachine and/or remote device or computer performs a checksum validation,as is known in the art. Should the presented access code pass a checksumvalidation, the process may continue, otherwise Wi-Fi access may bedenied.

In another embodiment, the vending machine and/or remote device orcomputer compares the access code provided by the customer to one ormore access codes stored in a local or remote database. If the accesscode matches a (valid) code in the database, the process may continue.In one or more embodiments, access codes may be determined to be validif there is sufficient value remaining in an associated account ordatabase record (e.g., thirty (30) minutes of Wi-Fi access timeremaining). In one or more embodiments, validating an access code maycomprise checking a username and/or password against a database of validusernames and/or passwords, in an manner known in the art.

According to some embodiments, the method 500 may continue, such as inthe case that an appropriate access code is received and/or validated,by establishing a communication session between a device associated withthe customer and a remote network device. As described herein, forexample, the customer may be provided with Wi-Fi access via the vendingmachine (and/or such access may be facilitated and/or initiated by thevending machine). It should be noted that while the term “Wi-Fi” is usedthroughout this disclosure to generally describe the network accessprovided to customers, any form, type, and/or configuration of networkaccess may be provided. In other words, the term “Wi-Fi”, whilegenerally implicating a specific protocol and/or type of wirelessconnectivity, is used herein to refer generally to any type of network,including wired networks.

In some embodiments, other processes may also or alternatively beincluded in either of the methods 400, 500. According to someembodiments for example, the vending machine and/or remote computer ordevice may determine a price to charge a customer for one or more ofnetwork access and a physical product. In one or more embodiments, theprice to be charged is dependent on a customer's status. Further, in oneor more embodiments, the price to be charged is dependent on acustomer's amount of network usage. Further still in one or moreembodiments, the price to be charged is based on the identity, salesstatus and/or inventory status of one or more products, including aproduct selected by a customer. For example, network (e.g., Wi-FiInternet) access may be priced lower if a customer selects a highermargin snack product. Or, network access may be “free” if a customerselects a Coca-Cola® product. By way of another example, network accessmay be free if current inventory of one or more items is above or belowa certain threshold. Further network access may be free if sales volumeof one or more products is above or below a certain threshold.

According to one or more embodiments, pricing may be based in whole orpart on the amount of data (e.g., in bytes) downloaded to or uploadedfrom a customer device or vending machine. In embodiments where theprice is determined prior to the customer's purchase and/or request foraccess, the price may accompany any offer for network access that isprovided to the customer.

A. EXAMPLES

Some embodiments will now be described via exemplary implementations.

Example 1

In a first example, a customer may approach the vending machine (e.g.,come within proximity thereto). The vending machine may then output, viaan LCD display and/or other output device for example, an offer reading“Have a Bluetooth™ enabled cell phone? Get 10 minutes of Voice-over-IP(VoIP) with any snack purchase.” The customer may then, according tosome embodiments, depresses a “YES” button (not shown) associated withthe vending machine, to indicate a desire to accept the offer. In someembodiments, the vending machine may then instruct the customer topurchase a snack (and/or other product from the vending machine). Upondepositing cash and/or coin (and/or otherwise providing payment), thecustomer may then select one or more desired snack items, which may thenbe dispensed by the vending machine. According to some embodiments, thesnack item may indicate an access code. An indication of an access codemay be affixed to the snack item's packaging via a sticker, for example.The vending machine may then wirelessly connect, via Bluetooth™ protocolfor example, with customer's cellular phone. In some embodiments, thecustomer then enters, into cell phone's keypad, the alphanumeric accesscode printed on sticker affixed to snack package. The customer's cellphone may then wirelessly transmit the access code to the vendingmachine, causing the vending machine to receive the access code. Thevending machine may then, according to some embodiments, validate theaccess code by comparing received access code to codes stored in adatabase. The vending machine may then connect with a VoIP serviceprovider server, and permit the customer to access the VoIP service forten (10) minutes via the customer's cell phone. The customer can eitherdial phone number using cell phone or dial the number through a vendingmachine interface.

Example 2

-   -   (1) Customer approaches vending machine.    -   (2) Static (painted) sign on vending machine reads: “WiFi access        just $5 for 30 minutes. Enter code A99 and deposit $5 or swipe        credit card.”    -   (3) Customer enters code A99 on vending machine's keypad and        swipes credit card.    -   (4) Vending machine processes credit card payment.    -   (5) Vending machine prints access code with receipt printer and        dispenses printed receipt.    -   (6) Vending machine wirelessly connects with customer's personal        computer.    -   (7) Customer enters access code into personal computer (when        prompted).    -   (8) Customer's personal computer wirelessly transmits access        code to vending machine.    -   (9) Vending machine receives access code.    -   (10) Vending machine validates access code by comparing received        access code to codes stored in a database.    -   (11) Vending machine connects with Internet Service Provider        server.    -   (12) Vending machine permits customer to access Internet for 30        minutes via his personal computer.

Example 3

-   -   (1) Customer approaches vending machine.    -   (2) Static (painted) sign on vending machine reads: “WiFi access        just $5 for 30 minutes.”    -   (3) Vending machine wirelessly connects with customer's personal        computer.    -   (4) Customer is prompted on computer screen for credit card        number.    -   (5) Customer enters credit card number, which is transmitted to        vending machine.    -   (6) Vending machine processes credit card payment.    -   (7) Vending machine connects with Internet Service Provider        server.    -   (8) Vending machine permits customer to access Internet for 30        minutes via his personal computer.

B. ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS

According to an embodiment, access codes may be generated and printedaccess code onto labels. Such labels may be individually detachable(e.g., detachable from a plastic substrate to which the labels areadhesively attached) and attachable to cans/bottles and other items thatare dispensable from a vending machine.

For example, a plurality of access codes may be generated (e.g., asdescribed herein). A number of the generated access codes may be printedonto a corresponding number of labels (e.g., blank white labels) whichare disposed on an 8½″×11″ sheet of specialized label substrate, such asthose sold by Avery-Dennison Corp. of Pasadena, Calif. For example, oneappropriate product sold by Avery-Dennison Corp. is the Avery® Label5160, which includes on each sheet thirty 2.625″×1″ address labels. Eachsuch label is white with permanent adhesive and printable by both laserand inkjet printers. Accordingly, such a sheet of labels may be fed intoa suitable printer, and the printer is driven by appropriate software(e.g., a word processor that generates documents to be printed on thelabel sheet) to print access codes onto the labels. It will be apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art that labels of any shape orconfiguration may be used.

Besides labels that may be printed by printers such as laser printersand ink jet printers, a variety of other known devices may print labelsonto different substrates. For example, the Avery® 9100 Personal LabelPrinter may be employed to print labels and/or peel labels before theyare dispensed.

Labels are typically adhesively attached to a substrate (e.g., a plasticsubstrate) and the labels may be detached therefrom by, e.g., peelingthe label from the substrate. Labels may be peeled by hand, or with theassistance of known apparatus such as label dispensers (e.g., the Avery®Quick Peel™ Automatic Label Peeler, Avery® 6216 Multi-Purpose LabelDispenser).

Labels which are printed with access codes are detached and applied toproducts which are dispensable by the vending machine, e.g., during therestocking of the vending machine. In one embodiment, the labels areapplied to the “back” of products that are visible from outside thevending machine, thereby preventing the label (and codes thereon) to beseen by a person who has not purchased the product that bears the label.

In one embodiment the printed labels are obscured by, e.g., anotherlabel detachably affixed to the label that bears the access code. Thus,until the upper label is removed the access code on the lower label isnot visible. In one embodiment, labels that bear access codes areapplied or applicable to products in a manner which (a) does not renderthe access codes visible to “viewers” who have not acquired the product(e.g., customers waiting at the vending machine), and/or (b) minimizesthe risk that the vending machine stocker will simply take the accesscodes.

In an embodiment, after an access code is used (e.g., to gain access toa WiFi network for a period of time through a vending machine), variousinformation regarding such use may be recorded (e.g., in a database thatis accessible to vending machines). For example, after an access code isused, any or all of the following may be stored: (i) the vendingmachine(s) at which the access code was used, (ii) the date and time theuse of the access code was initiated, (iii) the date and time the use ofthe access code was discontinued.

In addition, since the vending machine at which the access code wasacquired can be stored (e.g., a corresponding vending machine isassigned to a code when the access code is generated, when the code isapplied to a product), the correlation between location of acquisitionand location of use of access codes may be determined. Such storedinformation may be used to generate reports that indicate, e.g., accesscode trends by town, state, or other geographic region.

Since the time of acquisition of the access code can be stored (e.g., acorresponding vending machine is assigned to a code when the access codeis generated, and the vending machine determines when a product bearingthe code was sold), the delay between time of acquisition and time ofuse of access codes may be determined. Such stored information may beused to generate reports that indicate, e.g., access code trends bydate, season, time, and/or by town, state, or other geographic region.

According to one or more embodiments, network access purchased from avending machine may be accessed through other means, independent of avending machine. For example, in an embodiment, a customer purchasesnetwork access from a vending machine, receives an access code, and thenaccess a communications network using a computer at his or her house. Inthis manner, purchased network access can be, in a sense, “portable”.Further, in this manner, network access purchased at a vending machinewith cash can enable a customer to utilize a communications networkanonymously.

According to one or more embodiments, a vending machine may serve as a“repeater” of a wireless access point within its vicinity. Thus, thewireless access point may communicate with a vending machine, whichitself serves as a wireless access point, thereby broadening the rangeof service.

According to one or more embodiments, access codes may be “renewed” bycustomers. Customer may renew access codes by purchasing one or moreitems from a vending machine.

According to one or more embodiments, customers may earn access to acommunications network (e.g., earn “minutes”) by purchasing one or morephysical products from a vending machine. Thus, network access can berewarded as a premium to vending machine customers who purchase athreshold number of products.

According to one or more embodiments, once a customer has transactedwith a vending machine through a customer device, the vending machinemay store, in a memory, an identifier associate with the customer device(e.g., a serial number, a software license number, a “cookie” file) sothat the vending machine can identify the customer upon subsequentvisits to the vicinity of the vending machine. In this manner, thevending machine may track purchase behavior, etc.

V. Rules of Interpretation

Numerous embodiments are described in this patent application, and arepresented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments arenot, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presentlydisclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, asis readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced withvarious modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features ofthe disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one ormore particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understoodthat such features are not limited to usage in the one or moreparticular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they aredescribed, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The present disclosure is neither a literal description of allembodiments of the invention nor a listing of features of the inventionthat must be present in all embodiments.

Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of thispatent application) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of thispatent application) is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scopeof the disclosed invention(s).

The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition ofmatter as contemplated by 35 U.S.C. §101, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “theembodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “someembodiments”, “one embodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but notall) disclosed embodiments”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does notimply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with anotherembodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referencedembodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The term “herein” means “in the present application, including anythingwhich may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality ofthings (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination ofone or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. Forexample, the phrase at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel meanseither (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car,(v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, acar and a wheel.

The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describesboth “based only on” and “based at least on”.

The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other setof words that express only the intended result, objective or consequenceof something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when theterm “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that theterm “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations ofthe claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as wellas more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least onewidget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where ina second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses adefinite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”),this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature,and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of thefeature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than onewidget).

Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise)inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a“step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in themere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, anyreference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficientantecedent basis.

When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) isused as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unlessexpressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature,such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature thatis described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a“first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a“second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and“second” before the term “widget” does not indicate any otherrelationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate anyother characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mereusage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term“widget” (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or afterany other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widgetoccurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does notindicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as inimportance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbersdoes not define a numerical limit to the features identified with theordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers“first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate thatthere must be no more than two widgets.

When a single device or article is described herein, more than onedevice or article (whether or not they cooperate) may alternatively beused in place of the single device or article that is described.Accordingly, the functionality that is described as being possessed by adevice may alternatively be possessed by more than one device or article(whether or not they cooperate).

Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein(whether or not they cooperate), a single device or article mayalternatively be used in place of the more than one device or articlethat is described. For example, a plurality of computer-based devicesmay be substituted with a single computer-based device. Accordingly, thevarious functionality that is described as being possessed by more thanone device or article may alternatively be possessed by a single deviceor article.

The functionality and/or the features of a single device that isdescribed may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devicesthat are described but are not explicitly described as having suchfunctionality and/or features. Thus, other embodiments need not includethe described device itself, but rather can include the one or moreother devices which would, in those other embodiments, have suchfunctionality/features.

Devices that are in communication with each other need not be incontinuous communication with each other, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit to eachother as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain fromexchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine incommunication with another machine via the Internet may not transmitdata to the other machine for weeks at a time. In addition, devices thatare in communication with each other may communicate directly orindirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components or features doesnot imply that all or even any of such components and/or features arerequired. On the contrary, a variety of optional components aredescribed to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of thepresent invention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, nocomponent and/or feature is essential or required.

Further, although process steps, algorithms or the like may be describedin a sequential order, such processes may be configured to work indifferent orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps thatmay be explicitly described does not necessarily indicate a requirementthat the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processesdescribed herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, somesteps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or impliedas occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is describedafter the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by itsdepiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process isexclusive of other variations and modifications thereto, does not implythat the illustrated process or any of its steps are necessary to theinvention, and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred.

Although a process may be described as including a plurality of steps,that does not indicate that all or even any of the steps are essentialor required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the describedinvention(s) include other processes that omit some or all of thedescribed steps. Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no step isessential or required.

Although a product may be described as including a plurality ofcomponents, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, thatdoes not indicate that all of the plurality are essential or required.Various other embodiments within the scope of the described invention(s)include other products that omit some or all of the described plurality.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unlessexpressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items(which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of theitems are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. For example, the enumerated list “a computer, a laptop, aPDA” does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list aremutually exclusive and does not imply that any or all of the three itemsof that list are comprehensive of any category.

Headings of sections provided in this patent application and the titleof this patent application are for convenience only, and are not to betaken as limiting the disclosure in any way.

“Determining” something can be performed in a variety of manners andtherefore the term “determining” (and like terms) includes calculating,computing, deriving, looking up (e.g., in a table, database or datastructure), ascertaining and the like.

It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithmsdescribed herein may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately programmedgeneral purpose computers and computing devices. Typically a processor(e.g., one or more microprocessors) will receive instructions from amemory or like device, and execute those instructions, therebyperforming one or more processes defined by those instructions. Further,programs that implement such methods and algorithms may be stored andtransmitted using a variety of media (e.g., computer readable media) ina number of manners. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or customhardware may be used in place of, or in combination with, softwareinstructions for implementation of the processes of various embodiments.Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination ofhardware and software

A “processor” means any one or more microprocessors, CPU devices,computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, or likedevices.

The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium thatparticipates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that may be read bya computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may take manyforms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media,and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, opticalor magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media includeDRAM, which typically constitutes the main memory. Transmission mediainclude coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including thewires that comprise a system bus coupled to the processor. Transmissionmedia may include or convey acoustic waves, light waves andelectromagnetic emissions, such as those generated during RF and IR datacommunications. Common forms of computer-readable media include, forexample, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, anyother magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punchcards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, aRAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip orcartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other mediumfrom which a computer can read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingsequences of instructions to a processor. For example, sequences ofinstruction (i) may be delivered from RAM to a processor, (ii) may becarried over a wireless transmission medium, and/or (iii) may beformatted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols, such asBluetooth™, TDMA, CDMA, 3G.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structuresbesides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations ordescriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrativearrangements for stored representations of information. Any number ofother arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustratedentries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content ofthe entries can be different from those described herein. Further,despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats(including relational databases, object-based models and/or distributeddatabases) could be used to store and manipulate the data typesdescribed herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of a databasecan be used to implement various processes, such as the describedherein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, be storedlocally or remotely from a device that accesses data in such a database.

The present invention can be configured to work in a network environmentincluding a computer that is in communication, via a communicationsnetwork, with one or more devices. The computer may communicate with thedevices directly or indirectly, via a wired or wireless medium such asthe Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, or via any appropriatecommunications means or combination of communications means. Each of thedevices may comprise computers, such as those based on the Intel®Pentium® or Centrino™ processor, that are adapted to communicate withthe computer. Any number and type of machines may be in communicationwith the computer.

The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, anenabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some ofthese embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the presentapplication, but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuingapplications that claim the benefit of priority of the presentapplication. Applicants intend to file additional applications to pursuepatents for subject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but notclaimed in the present application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vending machine offering for sale at least oneof (i) a plurality of food items, and (ii) a plurality of beverageitems, the vending machine comprising: means for receiving a requestfrom a customer to initiate a communication session via the vendingmachine, the communication session being between a remote network deviceand a mobile communications device operated by the customer; means forestablishing, in response to receiving a request from the customer toinitiate the communication session via the vending machine, thecommunication session being between the remote network device and themobile communications device operated by the customer, a firstcommunication link between the vending machine and mobile communicationsdevice operated by the customer; means for establishing, in response toreceiving the request from the customer to initiate the communicationsession via the vending machine, the communication session being betweenthe remote network device and the mobile communications device operatedby the customer, a second communication link between the vending machineand the remote network device; and means for utilizing the first andsecond communication links to (i) facilitate data transmissions from theremote network device to the mobile communications device operated bythe customer and (ii) facilitate data transmissions from the mobilecommunications device operated by the customer to the remote networkdevice.
 2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the vending machinefurther comprises: means for receiving payment, from the customer, inexchange for a facilitation, by the vending machine, of (i) datatransmissions from the remote network device to the mobilecommunications device operated by the customer and (ii) datatransmissions from the mobile communications device operated by thecustomer to the remote network device.
 3. The vending machine of claim1, wherein a facilitation, by the vending machine, of (i) datatransmissions from the remote network device to the mobilecommunications device operated by the customer and (ii) datatransmissions from the mobile communications device operated by thecustomer to the remote network device, comprises a provision of Internetaccess to the customer.
 4. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein thedevice operated by the customer comprises a wireless telephone andwherein the remote network device is associated with a Voice overInternet Protocol (VoIP) service provider.
 5. The vending machine ofclaim 1, wherein the vending machine further comprises: means fordetermining a price to charge the customer for a facilitation, by thevending machine, of (i) data transmissions from the remote networkdevice to the mobile communications device operated by the customer and(ii) data transmissions from the mobile communications device operatedby the customer to the remote network device, wherein the price is basedat least in part on one or more of (i) an identity of the customer, (ii)a duration of the communication session, (iii) a bandwidth of thecommunication session, (iv) current utilization of available bandwidth,(v) a time or date, and (vi) at least one of (a) one the plurality offood items, and (b) one of the plurality of beverage items of thevending machine, selected by the customer for purchase.
 6. A vendingmachine offering for sale at least one of (i) a plurality of food items,and (ii) a plurality of beverage items, the vending machine comprising aprocessing device and a memory device in communication with theprocessing device, the memory device storing instructions that whenexecuted by the processing device result in: receiving a request from acustomer to initiate a communication session via the vending machine,the communication session being between a remote network device and amobile communications device operated by the customer; establishing, inresponse to receiving a request from the customer to initiate thecommunication session via the vending machine, the communication sessionbeing between the remote network device and the mobile communicationsdevice operated by the customer, a first communication link between thevending machine and mobile communications device operated by thecustomer; establishing, in response to receiving the request from thecustomer to initiate the communication session via the vending machine,the communication session being between the remote network device andthe mobile communications device operated by the customer, a secondcommunication link between the vending machine and the remote networkdevice; and utilizing the first and second communication links to (i)facilitate data transmissions from the remote network device to themobile communications device operated by the customer and (ii)facilitate data transmissions from the mobile communications deviceoperated by the customer to the remote network device.
 7. The vendingmachine of claim 6, wherein the instructions, when executed by theprocessing device, further result in: receiving payment, from thecustomer, in exchange for a facilitation, by the vending machine, of (i)data transmissions from the remote network device to the mobilecommunications device operated by the customer and (ii) datatransmissions from the mobile communications device operated by thecustomer to the remote network device.
 8. The vending machine of claim6, wherein a facilitation, by the vending machine, of (i) datatransmissions from the remote network device to the mobilecommunications device operated by the customer and (ii) datatransmissions from the mobile communications device operated by thecustomer to the remote network device, comprises a provision of Internetaccess to the customer.
 9. The vending machine of claim 6, wherein thedevice operated by the customer comprises a wireless telephone andwherein the remote network device is associated with a Voice overInternet Protocol (VoIP) service provider.
 10. The vending machine ofclaim 6, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processingdevice, further result in: determining a price to charge the customerfor a facilitation, by the vending machine, of (i) data transmissionsfrom the remote network device to the mobile communications deviceoperated by the customer and (ii) data transmissions from the mobilecommunications device operated by the customer to the remote networkdevice, wherein the price is based at least in part on one or more of(i) an identity of the customer, (ii) a duration of the communicationsession, (iii) a bandwidth of the communication session, (iv) currentutilization of available bandwidth, (v) a time or date, and (vi) atleast one of (a) one the plurality of food items, and (b) one of theplurality of beverage items of the vending machine, selected by thecustomer for purchase.